What is the tool called that you use to take out the locking rings for tail cap switches or similar?
I use an old pair of pointed test leads to poke in the indentations and then spin round.
My needle nose pliers are just too fat so other than grinding them down to a point is there another tool?
I looked at circlip tools but I’m not sure.
Those will work. Snap ring pliers are what I use. They are available in many sizes.
Thanks, thought so. snap rings / circlips seem to be the same thing.
They’re cheap enough to give a go and they’ll save me from destroying a set of test leads 
In a company I worked for they had Spanner Wrench, Lens Ring Tool
Here is a tool you can buy at most home depots to cut holes in wood
A little modification and its a perfect tool, is pretty much the same in the end but cheaper to get
http://forum.manualfocus.org//viewtopic.php?id=10509
From Ebay this one comes close to the one I used there
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Pro-Schraubenschlussel-Fur-Kamera-Objektiv-Linsen-Reparatur-Offnung-/262787958620?hash=item3d2f62075c%3Ag%3ACx4AAOSwFe5XzrG4
Hey Lexel, that looks like a brilliant way of doing it. I’m impatient so I’ve ordered the ones I linked to. I thought I was correct in what I needed so I’ve just clicked BUY.
I believe my father has one of the variable sized hole cutters. They look ideal once you’ve put the effort in to modify them. I don’t often take apart lights so I’m not going to go down that route just yet. thanks though.
Circlip pliers but they are still to wide to fit in most places. You can grind them down or just use stainless steel tweezers.
I own exactly the one from the OP. Nice tool, does exactly what is should - but it drives me mad. :rage:
When I close my grip it opens up. Just the opposite of what I want. I just cannot get used to that.
I am using a grinded down standard needle nose plier now. A bit more fiddling but I can handle it.
And if you buy the tool that Lexel recommends (best for large rings) - get one with knurled screws. Or at least retrofit screws you can tighten by hand.
Using Allen keys on that thing is a PITA.
I have a pair of the skinny needle nose pliers I use…
They work well with a little bit of fine tuning of the points with a file. Not bad for $1.99 option.
I also have a set of the snap ring pliers (not used much) but when I use them, I don’t bother with the handle and just use the interchangeable head.
The “dirt cheap tool” crates at many hdwr stores have both long and short needle nose pliers and side cutters. High carbon steel isn’t a requirement for low torque uses but when it is stuck I find the stubby ones flex less.
I normally try and use snap ring pliers. I have also used a watch caseback wrench before. But the latter only works if there is enough clearance area in the immediate vicinity.
I use a conduit staple sometimes.
You probably don’t need 500 but if you have some laying around.
I use the second spammer wrench that Lexel posted, got it for about $15 off Amazon.
Well thanks to amazon prime my circlip tool arrived and sure enough the points are too big.
I’ll have fun with a grinder getting them down to size.
Yea buy a bench grinder so much easier.
I don’t actually have one of those … yet. I was trying to find an excuse to get one. This seems like as good as any
What size/style light are you having trouble with? For my larger lights, the needle nose and snap ring pliers typically work well. The biggest problems are the convoy-style driver retaining rings with their tiny pinholes. I have a junk pair of tweezers I use for the smaller rings.
For rings without indentions, I use a narrow file to make a couple of square notches.
In a couple of cases, I’ve used a drill to enlarge existing indentions.
And in one case, when doing so, the bit snapped and I jammed the broken bit through my thumbnail and deep into the meat of my thumb. Yeah, it hurt… It ended up getting some infection and I had to dig into it and remove a piece of broken thumbnail from the wound before it would heal properly.
Snap-ring pliers are also called circlip pliers depending on what site you’re looking at. I’ve seen them listed that way on several China based sites. I was going to mention that I’ve found the cheap snap-ring pliers like the interchangeable set from Harbor Freight have tips that are too fat to fit into many driver and switch retaining rings. Though, to keltex’s point many of my lights are Convoy.
Some time ago I bought a Watch Repair Tool Kit that came with an adjustable case opener. I was able to use it to unscrew the driver retaining ring on my newly arrived ThorFire VG-10. 
Or you could drill the holes out. That just came to mind now lol after how long of modding lol.